Latest Horn of
Africa Fact Sheet

Key Developments

USAID's Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) is responding to the complex emergency in the Horn of Africa region, including in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia.

In Fiscal Years 2016 and 2017, USAID's Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) responded to the complex emergency in the Horn of Africa region, including in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia.

Recurrent natural disasters and ongoing complex emergencies remain major contributors to vulnerability across the Horn of Africa, negatively affecting the lives and livelihoods of populations throughout the region.

Somalia has experienced a persistent complex emergency since 1991 due to chronic food insecurity, widespread violence, and recurring droughts and floods. Acute malnutrition levels in Somalia remain among the highest in the world, and ongoing insecurity in the country—particularly in areas that lack established local authorities and where al-Shabaab is present—contributes to the complex emergency. Sustained life-saving assistance, coupled with interventions aimed at building resilience, are critical to helping vulnerable households meet basic needs, reduce malnutrition, and protect livelihoods.

In Kenya, drought conditions have exacerbated chronic stressors, including food insecurity and malnutrition. Through ongoing FY 2015−2017 programs, USAID's Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance and USAID's Office of Food for Peace supported strengthening of health and nutrition systems in drought-affected areas in coordination with USAID/Kenya resilience initiatives to mitigate the effects of recurrent natural hazards.

In FY 2017, the U.S. government provided more than $1 billion in multi-sector humanitarian assistance for the Horn of Africa regional response, including approximately $235 million from USAID/OFDA, more than $650 million from USAID’s Office of Food for Peace, and more than $174 million from U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration.